Electric fans increase airflows in engines, particularly when used in combination with components like heat exchangers. Thus, increased airflows increase a cooling rate to enhance vehicle performance. However, placement of the fan into the engine compartment increases the design complexity and engine assembly in a manner that depends on the size and placement of the fans since the additional component occupies volume and uses system resources. Accordingly, engine serviceability is also affected since maintenance activities may depend on dismantling numerous layered components in some instances.
A fan assembly may be included to secure the fan in place by attaching the electric fan and assembly to the side tanks of a heat exchanger. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,287,576 discloses a vehicle cooling system assembly with a fan. The system described includes mounting brackets protruding from a periphery of each of the fan assemblies that connect to the sides of the radiator via mounting brackets providing additional supports that also reduce noise therein. As another example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,783,325 describes an axial fan system assembly for an intercooler that includes a tray bracket outlet and inlet to provide support and a means to attach the fan unit assembly. As yet another example, U.S. Pat. No. 8,579,060 discloses a heat exchanging apparatus with a fan system that includes mounting brackets for mounting the heat exchanger and fan via side mounting. However, vehicle engines may have limited space in the engine compartment such that sufficient clearance does not exist for attaching and placing a dedicated fan along the side of a heat exchanger.
The inventors have recognized issues with such approaches and herein describe a system, comprising a charge-air cooler coupled via upper and lower brackets to a vehicle body, and an axial dual fan system connected to the upper and lower brackets via one or more isolators. In one particular example described, the axial dual fan system extends vertically to the upper brackets on a top side, and extends vertically to the lower brackets on a bottom side. That is, the axial dual fan system extends vertically to the upper brackets only on a top side, and extends vertically to the lower brackets only on a bottom side while no connections are included extending from a lateral side portion of the axial dual fan system to the upper and lower brackets. In this way, the technical result is achieved that a dedicated fan system may be placed in the engine to increase the airflow through the intercooler. Moreover, the vibrational energy transferred to the axial dual fan system from the vehicle may be reduced during operation, which reduces the noise emanating therefrom.
Additional advantages of the system are realized by the arrangement of the engine components relative to one another, which simplifies the manufacturing assembly sequence, and also increases serviceability, and in particular, simplifies servicing of the dual fan system. Features like a perforated housing further allow for increased airflow to enhance vehicle performance in some conditions, while a scaffolding structure of the housing increases rigidity to increase the durability and system robustness. Such features serve to increase the useful lifetime of the system.
The above advantages and other advantages, and features of the present description will be readily apparent from the following Detailed Description when taken alone or in connection with the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.
The embodiments of the present disclosure and various features and advantageous details thereof are explained with reference to the non-limiting embodiments. Some of the examples that are described and/or illustrated in the accompanying drawings and detailed in the following description are drawn approximately to scale, however other relative dimensions and/or ratios may also be used, if desired. For example, exemplary scale drawings are provided in FIGS. 2-8B to illustrate various features of the described system. The examples provided herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the disclosure may be implemented in practice while enabling those of skill in the art to practice the disclosed embodiments. Accordingly, like reference numerals represent similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.